One arrested, storage facility break-in under investigation
EPHRATA – One man was arrested and three other possible suspects were identified in connection with the break-ins of several units at a storage facility on South Basin Street in Ephrata early Saturday morning, Jan. 24.
Eric Anthony Mora, 41, Quincy, made an initial appearance Monday in Grant County Superior Court, when he pled not guilty to second-degree theft and four counts of second-degree burglary. He was initially jailed in lieu of $2,000 bail pending a March 18 trial and ordered to have no contact with the alleged victims.
Ephrata police were initially notified around 11 a.m. Saturday of a break-in at one unit of Basin Storage LLC in the 100 block of Ninth Avenue S.W. While investigating that, police discovered that holes had been cut in the walls of three other neighboring units. After contacting the facility owner and affected renters, it was determined that tools, clothing, protective racing gear, a chainsaw and other items appeared to be missing. The estimated losses totaled nearly $2,700.
According to a police report, surveillance video showed a black Ford Mustang parked outside one of the units around 2 a.m. on Saturday. The car owner was also the unit renter and he allegedly allowed three other individuals – two men and a woman – to access the facility. They are seen loading items into the car and later driving away, the report stated.
Later Saturday morning, Quincy police notified EPD of a traffic stop on Friday involving the same Ford Mustang with four occupants linked to the subsequent burglaries in Ephrata. One of the suspects was Mora, who was taken into custody by Quincy police and booked into the Grant County Jail. Mora declined to talk to Ephrata police when contacted at the jail.
The investigation is ongoing.
